(no subject)
Day 7 - September 15th, 2005
Math was once again the same. They begin review on Monday, so we’ll see how that changes things up.
2nd hour was in the library for the first time. I got the list of names and passwords so they could all log on to their computers. I should have told them their names and passwords in the room, but I did it in the lab. This presented the problem of having many people talking, confused, and with nothing to do. I went around and gave names and passwords as quickly as possible. I tried to tell them to write them down, but it was pretty chaotic down there, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I have to tell kids names and passwords again tomorrow. I also was going to show them how to get to my bookmark site using the projector and computer, but with me running around, I didn’t have time. I wrote the website address on the white board in there, and told them to go there. It was kind of hard to see and in the noise, most didn’t hear me. So I spent a decent amount of time making sure kids could get to that site to at least get a start on their research.
I think they liked having freedom. They were sort of loud, but I kept them in check the best I could. I tried to limit their print outs at two pages a piece, but that is hard to do when kids are printing web pages that don’t have page numbers. I tried to go around telling them to highlight or cut and paste into a word document to try and cut down on the pages. I think I did ok. Some kids had more problems than others navigating the Internet, which I suppose is to be expected. I think it went ok all in all, and I hope the librarians weren’t too upset with the chaos that was caused.
US History today was my first day as teacher. They went over their tests and then I got them. I had a sheet for them right away about our first section. I was planning on giving them this sheet as they finished their tests on Wednesday, but there were some surveys they were to fill out, so I held onto it and handed it out today. I gave them 10-15 minutes to work on it and then I went into a little ‘lecture’ on the rest of the section. The section was on technological advances, like the telephone, telegraph, Bessemer process, and railroad. Since I enjoy the railroad I had a handout on the Chinese being used to help build the Transcontinental Railroad. I didn’t have any questions along with it, I just thought it would be an interesting read for those who were interested. I probably will have a test question or two about it, just for the sake of doing so. I then had a 3-page handout about the railroad that had 4 questions at the end. They really groaned about all the sheets and the reading. It will be tough for them to get used to doing different things in History, but I’ll deal with it. 6th hour was much worse than 4th hour about it, and this just emphasizes the fact that 6th hour will be my tougher hour to control. I like to bring reading into History, now I just have to make sure my students don’t hate it.
7th hour was in the library again with me. I doled out passwords and my website address in the classroom before we went down to the lab. I told the kids to sit by their partners, to make sure they were on the same page, if you will. It went better, and it was a good way to end the day.
Day 8 - September 16th, 2005
1st hour I waited around and made up a geography test with one of my 2nd hour kids. I also turned in my sub paper work, so now I am available to sub for one of my supervising teachers, if the need arises this semester.
2nd hour was back in the library, with me being sure to tell them the site name at the beginning of the hour. I also tried to remind them that I wanted them to cite where they got information from. I also had to say that I wanted them to try and put things in their own words, instead of pasting 2 paragraphs from a website into a word document and calling that their write-up. I have a feeling that will be the hardest part of this assignment. I know some kids won’t cite anything, and since I have a rubric that makes it worth points, I’ll have to take off points. I don’t know if I’ll fail them for plagiarism, but it’ll worsen their grade.
3rd hour is my prep and today I met with my University supervisor to talk about the lesson he was going to observe me giving 4th hour. He said the lesson was solid, but he had some questions on how it would run. He also said he would wait and see how things went. We talked about how things had went in both of my classrooms and I showed him my project for the 7th graders.
US History was rough, both hours. I had a lesson where they would first read a selection and then do a Double Entry Journal on what they had read. The problem came in that the selection I picked, which had both a pro and con side - making it perfect for discussion - was 5 pages long. Whereas the bright kids in the room had no problem with the assignment, other kids in the room had large trouble staying on task and reading all hour. Some started talking, and others started to go to sleep. I had figured on the reading taking 35 minutes or so of my 60, but it took all hour, and still not everyone was finished. That was disheartening to me, because it made the hour quite boring for the kids, and it didn’t give me a chance to show off other parts of my lesson. Especially 6th hour, I think the kids are ready to revolt, given the reading and work I’ve made them do in 2 days. I’ll try and mix it up some next week to prevent that.
6th hour also had a much bigger problem keeping quiet. Some of that could have been no University supervisor in the room, and some of it is just that they are the less disciplined class. They repeatedly talked, and I didn’t fly off the handle or dole out any discipline. That is something I will have to work on before they think they can walk all over me. Some kids wanted quiet so they asked to go out in the hall. I let them, and soon I had like 6 kids out in the hall. They didn’t cause any trouble, but later my teacher said they don’t really like that many kids out in the hall, so no more of that for me. The kids quieted down when the classroom teacher came in the room, so then I knew it was just me they thought they could get away with stuff with. I had the same concentration problems with them as I had 4th hour. The strangest things was 4th hour I had a girl ask for a pass to use the phone in the office, and she never came back to the room the entire hour. Whoops. No more passes for her. She picked up her stuff before 6th hour began.
Monday we’ll have time to discuss the reading, and I might put them back into groups, so they can discuss in them before we get back into the whole class. That’s what I wanted to do Friday, but it didn’t work out due to the size and complexity of the reading. Now I have a better grasp at what I can give them, so the majority can achieve, not just the bright kids. That’s another problem with me, is that I want to do things I would enjoy, but I have to take the whole class into consideration.
7th hour was fine in the lab, and some kids were already done with their project. We had a Jr. High pep rally at 2:45, so that was interesting to see. There is a Jr. High girl’s basketball game on Monday, and I might go and check papers during the game. The 7th graders have one more day in class to finish their projects, and if they are done I might scramble tomorrow morning and find them a word find or crossword puzzle to keep them semi-occupied. This week was long and next week will be longer, though I don’t know if it will be worse because I have 4 classes to teach on my own, or if it might be a little better as I get more comfortable teaching the 10th graders. I have their week almost planned out, though I want to start making their test they have on Friday. I want to put an essay question in it and some short answer stuff on Rockefeller and the Chinese. I have a feeling I will also have to give out some demerits or send someone to the office just to show them I can do it. I’ll keep you informed.